-M- : Les mots bleus at ho-m-e

 A cracking cover of Christophe's classic Les mots bleus by Matthieu Chedid, performed at home during lockdown.

The song, the title track of Christophe's 1974 album and top ten single, was co-written by Jean-Michel Jarre who was then a musical collaborator with Chrstophe. He'd already worked as lyricist for Christophe's 1973 album Les Paradis perdus. For an artist now best known for producing instrumental electronic work, it's quite an achievement to have been involved in creating two songs regarded as French language classics,

M's cover follows other artists such as Alain Bashung. 

It's a lovely version, performed during a live stream in April last year and it appears as one of the 35 tracks on his Le Grand P'tit Concert -M-aison streaming album that features cover versions and stripped-down arrangements of his own work. It's a great collection and well worth a download.

M & Vanessa Paradis: La Seine

 Love this clip of M. M and Ms Paradis on a Facebook live.

Two talented artists in a relaxed and informal setting looking like they're genuinely having a lot of fun.

The song was originally from the soundtrack of the 2011 movie A monster in Paris. The soundtrack was, of course, originally created by M and Vanessa Paradis, La Seine being the stand-out track which was released as a single.

There's a lot to be said for artists being able to create their own broadcasts on platforms like Facebook. It's less formal and intrusive, and lets them perform in a comfortable and accessible environment even during the current Coronavirus restrictions. 

It may lack the budget of television or even the art and craft of some of the high-quality online session performances that have emerged in recent years, but it gives access to artists in a new way and allows them direct involvement in the creative process.

Hopefully we'll see much more of this kind of thing!

 

Festivals 2020: -M- and Black Eyed Peas for Solidays

Another of France's major summer festivals has confirmed some more of the names on its bill, with Solidays, one of the big events in Paris, listing the more names to appear at this year's event.

The biggest new international name is Black Eyed Peas, following the recent success of Ritmo. While WIll I Am might be a household name in the UK, due to his regular appearance on The Voice UK, he's not one of the judges of the show in France where he's perhaps known for his music, tracks like I've got a feeling and Where is the love being massive hits in France as they were elsewhere.

Metronomy and The Black Madonna are among the new acts announced.

Already confirmed at the top of the bill is -M-,  who has been touring in support of last year's Lettre Infinie album. He's got shows in arenas all over France in May, and also plays at some of the country's other summer events including Main Square festival, in June and July. He's also at the O2 Brixton Academy in London in April.

Laurent Garnier, Aya Nakamura, Deluxe , Niska,  Zola and Videoclub and are among others who were confirmed earlier. Others will be added in the coming months.

It's the 22nd edition of the festival, an event that combines activism as much as music. This year it's taking place on June 19 - 21 at Hippodrome de Longchanps.

Tickets go on sale on February 6.

Editorial: Feb 2019

Been quiet here for the last month, but we’re not dead and gone, far from it in fact. Consider it just an extended festive holiday. 

In the world outside the internet I’ve been settling in to new full time employment and as a consequence had less time to throw at the VLR blog, but with a new routine sorted out things should now be back to normal.

There have been a few significant releases over the past few weeks, including a new album from -M- and one from Lou Doillon as well as a particularly fine new collection Persona from Bertrand Belin.

I’ll have some words about these before too long.

February seem more on the horizon, with releases from Yann Tiersen and Voyou. Also looking forward to the album from Le Superhomard.

Details of some of France’s big summer music festivals have been unveiled, I’ll have a look at a few of these over the forthcoming weeks.

Elsewhere, the Victoires de la Musique awards take place later this week. Obviously big award ceremonies are always open to criticism, but the event does give a massive showcase to French acts in front of a huge audience. I always enjoy it, perhaps it’s just seeing some French acts appearing in the kind of big budget spectacle that is normally only reserved for TV reality show winners these days.

Meanwhile, I've been keeping very busy on the French Music Podcast UK Faecbook page, where you'll find French music recommendations on your timeline several times a day Mon-Fri. Give it a like.

I can be contacted as ever on johnDOTkilbrideAThotmailDOTcom, so promoters, press people and labels are always welcome to contact me with recommendations. I'll do what I can to cover it!

merci et à bientôt

jk

-M- : I kissed a Girl

An interesting new version of the Katy Perry hit I kissed a Girl by -M- has emerged.

The track comes from the soundtrack of the film Toute première fois, a newly released French comedy by Noémie Saglio and Maxime Govare.

The song was of course a massive international hit for Katy Perry. The new version makes it more of a French kiss and it sounds all the better for it.

-M- released the track  Comme un seul homme earlier this month as a free download in tribute to those killed in the Charlie Hebdo incident.

Meanwhile, under his Matthieu Chedid name he is to tour in May with his father Louis and Joseph and Anna Chedid.

They're playing 30 days including several shows at the L'Olympia in Paris.

Solidays festival

The Solidays festival gets underway in Paris, at Longchamps, with three days of some of the best live acts in  France and beyond.

The first day sees Shaka Ponk, Fauve and M on the bill, along with La Rue Ketanou, Breton, Vitalic and plenty of others.

June 28 sees Cats on Trees, Gesaffelstein and Rodrigo y Gabriela playing.Franz Ferdinand and We Were Evergreen also take to the stage

 The third day sees more acts that are familiar to this blog performing, with Christine and the Queens, Vanessa Paradis and Skip the Use, along with Woodkid, FFF, Girls in Hawaii and Yuksek.

Solidays has been since its inception an event that has been politically engaged, specifically  in the fight against Aids, especially in Africa. It has raised millions of Euros to help the cause since it was first held in 1999, and the event this year takes its inspiration from Nelson Mandela.

While as an event, it's certainly a worthy one, it's also got a line-up that cannot fail to impress.


Solidays 2014 - Spot TV by solidays

Solidays festival: First line-up details

Details have been confirmed for this year's Solidays festival at the Longchamp racecourse near Paris.

This year sees M, Franz Ferdinand and Patrice, along with Yodelice, Vitalic and Gesaffelstein.

More names will be added shortly.

The three day event - the sixteenth time it's taken place- is being held on June 27, 28 and 29.

Last year around 170,000 people saw the likes of David Guetta and C2C at the festival which has become one of France's biggest musical events.

It originally started as an Aids awareness event, and it has raised over 2 million euros to organisations fighting the disease.

This year the spirit of Nelson Mandela  is being evoked by organisers, with the slogan "Tee fight must go on" .
Tickets for the festival go on sale on February 14.

M: Mojo in the Metro

A great clip of M playing at the Jaurès Metro station in Paris.

He spoke about playing at the Metro station, about how it was great to become part of people's everyday lives, and how the metro was symbollic because it was a place where people were going from one place to another, where it's not stylish but where you're really face to face with people without any filter.

It must have been quite an experience to see one of France's biggest stars - and most celebrated live performers - playing in an environment like that.

The performance in the street echoes the official video for the song,featuring as it did Matthieu Chedid and his musicians performing in the streets of Paris with passers by and dancers.

His album ÎL, which featured the track Mojo, was released last month.

-M- : Mojo

Some new material from -M-, the artist also known as Matthieu Chedid.

The track Mojo surfaced ahead of a new album due out later this year.

While his last full album was 2009's Mister Mystère, he's been far from idle, with last year seeing the release of the Un monstre à Paris soundtrack, the hit single La Seine with Vanessa Paradis and the work with Johnny Hallyday on his Jamais Seul album.

There was also a Victoires de la musique award for Best concert in 2011.

Chedid is a huge figure in the French music scene, and his album is much anticipated not just because of his previous success, but because he seems to be in recent years to be at the top of his game.

The song came out without warning, premiered on Oui FM There's a proper video due out shortly, a few previews have appeared online.

The new album, his sixth, is expected in November. He's also expected to tour in 2013.